In June every year, Southeast Asian consumers' enthusiasm for shopping is on the rise. In the past June 6th promotion, the Philippine national enthusiasm for consumption was fully unleashed, and Gaabor household appliance brand was ranked among the best sellers again, of which the small kitchen appliance category held its first place and the vacuum cleaner category maintained its third place on the Shopee platform, and the small household appliance category hit the second place on the Lazada platform.

Since 2022, Gaabor has been among the top multi-category sales on both leading e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia, which keeps on leading the boom of the smart household appliance market. In this regard, Mr. Gabor Lorenz, Gaabor's chief engineer and founder, recently explained Gaabor's outstanding achievements in three key words, namely "quality", "innovation" and "exploration".

Being expert in German kitchen appliances, Mr. Gabor Lorenz has been researching industry technology over years. Since 2008, he has been leading a team of German experts to establish a R&D center and several product labs, focusing on the research of high-quality household appliance technology.

By virtue of cutting-edge product technology and concepts, as well as strict QC & QA, the Gaabor brand has been leading in the small kitchen appliance category in the Southeast Asian market for more than two months since its establishment in 2021. The best-selling product, Gaabor air fryer, was well recognized and received by consumers for its superior performance and effective healthy cooking in light of multiple first-of-its-kind technologies.

Based on in-depth exploration of user's needs, Gaabor keeps on upgrading the product technology, which is the first to embrace the Dual Circo Roots blower system and fast steam lock technology in its latest Gaabor air fryers.

To satisfy the user's pursuit of healthy and less oily food with nutrition, Gaabor redefines a new generation of healthy lifestyle with its latest product technology, while ensuring the delicious taste of food; it fully meets the user's needs for nutritional supplements and ushers in 4.0 cooking method.

As a leading brand of high-quality and healthy life, Gaabor is user-oriented. Besides kitchen appliances, it deeply explores the market demand, actively developing core product lines such as household, personal care appliances and launching Gaabor smart vacuum cleaners, vertical fans, mite removal devices and other high-quality products to bring an all-round healthy home life covering multiple scenarios, such as kitchen, living room and bedroom.

As one of the top brands of small household appliances in Southeast Asia, Gaabor has always been pursuing the continuous development of product and brand awareness, making continuous improvements and striving to create a smarter and healthier all-round modern home life for users.

The adoption of robotic technology is causing a new wave of technological innovation in the manufacturing sector. This wave is expected to affect many industries, especially those with routine manual tasks. Moreover, robots affect blue-collar and lower-class workers. Although robot adoption affects both men and women, the effect on women is much greater than on men. In the Philippines, manufacturing-related jobs are more likely to be affected than those in non-manufacturing sectors.

In the past decade, the demand for robotics has increased significantly in the Philippines. Universal Robots has partnered with Asia Integrated Machine, Inc. (AIMI), a leading provider of machinery and automation solutions, to help Philippine industries automate key manufacturing stages. Compared to Asia's robot density of 74 units per 10,000 employees, the Philippines has only three cobot units per 10,000 employees, far behind its neighboring ASEAN countries.

Automation: The Philippines' manufacturing sector is currently facing an automation crisis. The country significantly trails behind its regional counterparts when it comes to the adoption of automation. The low rate of automation in local manufacturing firms is also contributing to a shortage of skilled labor. The International Federation of Robotics ( or IFR) says the Philippines is the least automated country in the region, with only three robots per 10,000 employees. In order to combat this problem, Philippine industries should adopt robotic automation to make their manufacturing processes more efficient and productive.

As a result, the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has begun preparing for the impact of robots and automation on the country's labor force. In particular, it is anticipating a massive loss of jobs and exploring ways to retain Filipino workers. According to Mckinsey & Company, automation can potentially eliminate a quarter of all human workers. AMERIAL aims to be an accredited training and development facility in industrial automation; this helps the country to create a highly-skilled workforce.

Robotics: Undoubtedly, the demand for robots is ever-growing in the Philippines. Universal Robots, a leading global provider of industrial automation solutions, has partnered with Asia Integrated Machine, Inc. (AIM) to help Philippine manufacturers transition to robotic automation. As noted, the Philippines currently trails behind other ASEAN countries in robot density - three units for every 10,000 employees - but the company is optimistic about its future in the country. The company expects the country to see strong adoption of robots across its major industries soon.

The Department of Trade and Industry is geting ready for the future impact of robots in the Philippine labor force. The government is concerned that this new technology will result in a massive reduction in job opportunities, so it is looking into ways to retain Filipinos in the industry. According to a Mckinsey & Company report, robotic technology will eliminate over 90 percent of all human workers in the Philippines. Says Rafaelita Aldaba, director of the DTI's Department of Industrial Technology, "This reduction in jobs is a natural outcome of robotics."

Industrial robots: While China has been the world's factory for decades, the rise in labor costs has made the Philippines a veritable hotspot for manufacturers. The country must embrace technology and automation to keep up with its ASEAN neighbors, but it lags behind in this area. Interestingly, the International Federation of Robotics recently said the Philippines ranked low in automation adoption in 2016, with just three robot units per 10,000 employees. With the rise in automation, the Philippines is poised to catch up with its neighbors in the coming years.

The Philippines' manufacturing sector accounts for a significant portion of the country's economy. Even so, the average level of automation among local manufacturing companies is relatively low. Robots can help address the challenges associated with short-run production and perform more complex tasks in smaller batches. By increasing productivity and increasing market share, Philippine SMEs can stay competitive in the global marketplace. Industrial robots can help these companies achieve their goals.

Sensors: The global Sensors for Industrial Robot market is expected to reach USD million by 2028; it's growing at a CAGR of %. Several key players are currently developing strategies to capitalize on the growing demand for industrial robots. These strategies will increase the profitability of sensor manufacturers in the coming years. Such sensors will also help industrial robot manufacturers to monitor their output in real-time. But there are some key factors that drive the Sensors for the Industrial Robot market.

First, temperature sensors are used in cold environments and are widely used in robotics applications. They help robots adjust to the ambient temperature. Temperature sensors use tiny ICs to produce voltage differences that can adjust the temperature. Contact sensors require physical contact with objects to function but are widely used in tactile bumper switches, limit switches, and button switches. Various types of sensors have the ability to detect a wide range of objects, including obstacles.

Costs: Despite the high labor costs in Asia, the Philippines needs to embrace the benefits of robotic automation for a healthier and more productive manufacturing sector. Cobots offer the chance to automate and address the shortage of skilled workers. The Philippines can also become the next manufacturing hub in Asia by making use of robotic technology. However, the costs of robotic automation in the Philippines are still too high to make the country an attractive destination for manufacturing companies.

In the United States, a $250,000 robot can replace two workers. In Mexico, the average compensation is $14,000, making the payback period only eight years and four months. In the Philippines, the payback period is around 30 years. However, in low-wage developing nations such as the Philippines, the initial cost for a robot may be as low as $50,000. In other words, the Philippines robotic technology market has high barriers to entry and a long road to recovery.

Reckitt, the global leader in health, hygiene and nutrition, partners with Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan to launch its "Complete the #MissingHalf" Regional Super Brand Day. Families can rely on trusted brands from Reckitt including Enfagrow A+ Four, Lactum 3+6+, Lysol, Durex and more to help support the protection of the health, hygiene and nutrition of their loved ones, ensuring that they are not missing out.

Shoppers can look forward to health, hygiene, and nutrition tips and exclusive deals with Reckitt's most- anticipated Super Brand Day on Shopee. Happening on May 19, Reckitt's Super Brand Day campaign gives shoppers the best value deals on Reckitt's wide portfolio of family care essentials on Shopee Mall.

For decades, parents have been taught that academic intelligence would guarantee their child's best start to life, focusing less on confidence, creativity and independence. Reckitt puts parents' worries to rest with Enfagrow A+ Four Nurapro by helping nourish both IQ and EQ to complete the #MissingHalf together with proper nutrition and stimulation. Enfagrow A+ Four Nurapro is the only one with breakthrough MFGM and 35 mg/serving of DHA that help nourish not just IQ but also EQ development.

Reckitt's range of products goes one step further to complete the #MissingHalf for the entire family with their Health and Hygiene portfolio that consists of Lysol and Durex. As countries start to ease restrictions, hygiene moves from a defensive chore to a habitual act of protection. While families seek to bond with their communities, parents still want complete protection for their kids so that they maximize their potential. For example, not only does Lysol Disinfectant Spray kill over 100 illness-causing germs including the cold and flu virus, it also refreshes your home with 6 refreshing scents to choose from. Parents also want to instill the value of self-confidence in their children. With Veet, you can reveal the beauty of your skin with a long-lasting and user-friendly formula that can give you silky smooth skin for up to 2 weeks.

Muksitul Islam, ASEAN eCommerce Director at Reckitt, said, "Reckitt is proud to partner with Shopee in the regional Super Brand Day to connect ASEAN consumers to our beloved & trusted brands like Enfagrow A+ Four Nurapro, Lactum 3+6+, Lysol, & Durex. Through Shopee's impressive engagement tools, our consumers can not only look forward to choices tailored to their needs but also an enjoyable shopping experience from our diverse Nutrition, Health & Hygiene portfolio. We wish our consumers a wonderful Super Brand Day experience."

Annie Lin, Head of Shopee Mall at Shopee Philippines, added, "Consumers are shopping more frequently online for household and healthcare needs. We are glad to partner with Reckitt to provide parents and families with a wide variety of trusted brands that gives them the assurance they need when it comes to enhancing family health and nutrition. We will continue partnering with brands to offer shoppers access to greater convenience, variety and value all-year-round through Shopee Mall."

Through the campaign, Reckitt will educate users about what it means to complete the #MissingHalf for their children together with celebrity mom Kristine Hermosa-Sotto on Shopee Live. Users can also tune in to learn how they can have a healthy home with Lysol.

For a while, it was interesting to observe that, while the Philippines ranked high in polls for the number of internet users and total usage, it trailed behind rivals in terms of connectivity speed. However, with digital enablement and transformation being significant goals since the inception of remote work, that situation is-evidently- set to change. Philippines Telecommunications firms have prioritized providing better network services, beginning with the implementation of 5G technology.

Globe was the first provider in Southeast Asia to offer 5G AirFiber for Home usage in 2019 commercially. With the continued development of 5G coverage in the country and the launching of more cheap devices, Globe anticipates increased 5G device adoption among its consumers this year. Globe identified approximately 1.62 million 5G devices in its network as of December 2021, a large portion of which was from prepaid brands. This is an astounding 300 percent increase in ownership in the fourth quarter compared to the previous year's first quarter.

Globe is unyielding in its attempts to maintain its dominance in providing a #1stWorldNetwork to Filipinos all around the country. It already has over 2,000 5G sites, covering 96 percent of the National Capital Region and 84 percent of important cities in Visayas and Mindanao. The company's attempts to encourage 5G adoption through product offerings and education so that consumers may experience the full potential of the new technology supported the expansion activities. Globe has made numerous entry-level and mid-range 5G phones accessible for free if you subscribe to a postpaid plan or at a low cost if purchased separately. 5G technology provides the fastest mobile connectivity and download speeds, with rates up to 7x faster than 4G.

Similarly, Globe expanded its 5G roaming services to other European nations, giving it the sole Philippine carrier with the most extensive 5G coverage on the Asian continent. It continues to collaborate with other 5G-ready telecoms across the world to provide consumers with a simple high-speed data roaming experience. On the other hand, Smart Communications has been given a grant by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) for training to enhance Smart's aim to spread 5G services to 96 percent of the Philippines' population.

USTDA presented the award to assist Smart's investment in Cisco Systems equipment and services. "This funding reflects USTDA's commitment to supporting cutting-edge information and communications technology infrastructure in the Philippines while promoting innovative solutions from US industry," stated USTDA Acting Director Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally. "We are honored to collaborate with Smart and Cisco on this project, which will boost digital connectivity and provide the people of the Philippines with quicker, higher-quality, and more affordable digital services."

Smart, a subsidiary of the Philippines' biggest, fully integrated telecommunications business PLDT, will benefit from USTDA's training grant in order to provide superior cloud-based goods and services to its clients across the nation. This award expands on prior USTDA support to PLDT and Smart in modernizing the company's national fiber-optic network and preparing the Philippines for the transition to 5G. Smart has fiercely pushed the 5G revolution in the Philippines since it debuted its 5G commercial service nationally in 2020, deploying over 7,200 5G base stations across the country.

Smart also helps Filipinos incorporate 5G and reap its benefits through innovative products and services like the Rocket WiFi, Smart's first and fastest 5G Pocket WiFi, and the Smart Bro Prepaid Home WiFi 5G, Smart's first 5G-powered prepaid WiFi service which allows households to experience fiber-like network speeds at home. Smart also launched the innovative Unli 5G data offer via the GigaLife App, which provides members with additional data to enjoy their favorite online activities powered by Smart 5G. Smart eventually extended this unlimited 5G experience to postpaid subscribers by introducing the Signature Plans plus.

In its most recent assessment, Ookla also revealed significant speed disparities between Smart and its closest competitor in several cities. Smart, for example, had a median download speed of 263.67 Mbps in Manila, while its closest rival had 98.44 Mbps. Smart also had a median upload speed of 28.27 Mbps, while its nearest competitor had a speed of 9.77 Mbps. Smart also led Cebu City in the Visayas, with a median download speed of 214.27 Mbps, while its closest rival recorded 125.93 Mbps. Smart also had the fastest upload speed of 19.85 Mbps, while the nearest rival had 10.34 Mbps. Smart dominated Mindanao with a median download speed of 217.83 Mbps in Cagayan de Oro City, while its closest rival achieved 143.71 Mbps. Smart also had a median upload speed of 21.82 Mbps, while its nearest competitor had a speed of 12.20 Mbps.